</TD></TR><TR><TD class=news></TD></TR><TR><TD class=news vAlign=top colSpan=2></TD></TR><TR><TD class=news vAlign=top colSpan=2>Blaming the CBI for delay in disposal of an RTI application, CIC asked the agency to get its house in order. "Given the Central position enjoyed by CBI in promoting accountability in the working of public authority, this (harmonising its process of disposal of RTI queries) becomes the mandatory duty of CBI," Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah said in his order.

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=news vAlign=top colSpan=2></TD></TR><TR><TD class=news vAlign=top colSpan=2>The CBI has been asked to form a cell for receiving RTI applications at all its offices across the country. It further suggested the deployment of senior level officers as appellate authorities within the cell to look into the agency's overall compliance to the RTI provisions and to also monitor public responses.

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=news vAlign=top colSpan=2></TD></TR><TR><TD class=news vAlign=top colSpan=2>The CIC had received an appeal from Mani Ram Sharma who had sought CIC's intervention for delay in supply of information by the CBI. The CCI, on March 13 had directed the CBI to showcause the reasons as to why penalty should not be imposed upon them for their delayed response.

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=news vAlign=top colSpan=2></TD></TR><TR><TD class=news vAlign=top colSpan=2>Habibullah, however, chose not to impose penalty. He took note of the multiplicity of reports involved and also the difficulty in fixing responsibility for the delay caused on any single official.